Candidates in the spotlight

Coeur d'Alene, meet your next mayor. This week, The Press will publish a series of stories on several key issues to Lake City residents and beyond. We'll look at those issues through the minds and words of the city's mayoral candidates.

Topics of the day are:

* McEuen Park

* Urban renewal and a proposed event center

* Salaries and personnel, including a new police chief

* Anti-discrimination

Our objective is to give readers a glimpse at the similarities and differences between Coeur d'Alene's three mayoral candidates, and it's our hope that healthy debate will begin. Many longtime residents believe this mayoral election is among the most important in the city's history. Some put it at the very top of the list because of the divisiveness of the past few years on the issues listed above, and others. Because of the mayor's ability to break tie votes on the City Council and the regional leadership required of this person, no local post is more important.

Why will this series focus strictly on Coeur d'Alene? Decisions made in Coeur d'Alene impact residents throughout the county. Coeur d'Alene is in many ways a home base even for those of us who live in Hayden, Post Falls and elsewhere. If you don't believe that, look back at letters to the editor and public comments at council meetings from non-Coeur d'Alene residents who felt perfectly entitled to sound off on all of the issues listed above - some vehemently.Well before the Nov. 5 election, The Press will give readers in-depth profiles on all the candidates in contested races throughout Kootenai County. This week's stories are meant as a starting point to get potential voters thinking about the key issues in their communities and what kind of people they want representing their interests.

It's campaign season - and a particularly important one - so arm yourself with as much information as you can.